About the Contract
We are seeking an experienced Product Manager / Project Manager to lead the end-to-end build of a new CRM and Client Portal. This is a hands-on, contract position based in London’s financial district. You will drive requirements gathering, oversee technical implementation, and ensure seamless integration between WordPress front-ends and the Perfex CRM back-end.
You’ll work closely with senior stakeholders (Sales, Operations, IT) to translate business needs into a scalable, secure, and user-friendly platform. Your remit includes defining product roadmaps, managing sprints, mitigating risks, and coordinating between in-house developers, third-party vendors, and QA teams.
Key Responsibilities
* Product Strategy & Roadmap
* Collaborate with senior stakeholders to document business objectives, user personas, and functional requirements for both CRM and Client Portal modules.
* Develop and maintain a prioritized product backlog and timeline, aligning with company KPIs and launch milestones.
* Conduct competitive analysis to identify best practices in CRM/portal features (e.g., lead management, invoicing, ticketing, client dashboards).
* Project Management & Delivery
* Plan and manage project sprints (using Agile/Scrum or hybrid methodologies), including sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.
* Create detailed project plans (Gantt charts, resource allocation) to track tasks, dependencies, and deliverables.
* Risk assessment: proactively identify potential roadblocks (technical, resourcing, third-party dependencies), propose mitigation strategies, and escalate issues appropriately.
* Liaise with development teams (in-house and/or outsourced) to ensure coding standards, documentation, and QA processes are upheld.
* Technical Oversight
* Oversee the integration of Perfex CRM (or equivalent) with a WordPress front-end: user authentication/SSO, custom plugin development, API configurations, and data migration.
* Ensure the Client Portal provides secure, role-based access to client data (invoices, tickets, project updates) with responsive design for desktop and mobile.
* Review technical specifications to confirm they meet performance, security (GDPR compliance, SSL/TLS), and scalability requirements.
* Coordinate with DevOps/IT teams on hosting (e.g., AWS, Azure, or dedicated servers), backups, and disaster-recovery plans.
* Stakeholder Communication & Reporting
* Host weekly steering-committee meetings to provide status updates, demo completed features, and gather feedback.
* Produce concise progress reports (budget burn-rate, milestone completion, KPI dashboards) for senior leadership.
* Manage expectations around timelines, scope changes, and resource constraints, ensuring transparency at every stage.
* Quality Assurance & Go-Live
* Define acceptance criteria and coordinate UAT with end-users (Sales reps, Account Managers, Client Services).
* Oversee bug triage, prioritize fixes, and validate release candidates.
* Plan and execute the go-live checklist: data migration, URL redirects, DNS changes, SSL certificate installation, load testing, and rollback procedures.
* Coordinate post-launch support (hypercare), tracking issues in a ticketing system (e.g., JIRA, Trello).
Required Skills & Experience
* Proven track record managing CRM or client-facing portal implementations in a fast-paced environment.
* Hands-on experience with WordPress (theme/plugin customization, PHP, JavaScript) and Perfex CRM (or a comparable open-source CRM like SuiteCRM, vTiger).
* Strong understanding of relational databases (MySQL/MariaDB) and RESTful API integrations.
* Excellent project management skills: proficient in Agile/Scrum, backlog management tools (e.g., JIRA, Asana), and creating Gantt charts or Kanban boards.
* Ability to translate high-level business requirements into clear user stories, functional specs, and technical tasks.
* Solid grasp of web security best practices (OWASP Top 10, GDPR).
* Exceptional communication skills: able to facilitate workshops, present to C-Suite, and write clear, concise documentation.
* Experience coordinating multi-disciplinary teams (front-end, back-end, DevOps, QA, UX/UI).
Preferred Skills & Experience
* Prior experience specifically with Perfex CRM customizations (module development, API endpoints, hooks).
* Familiarity with WordPress multisite installations, custom post types, and WooCommerce integration.
* Exposure to PHP frameworks (Laravel, CodeIgniter) that underpin many CRM platforms.
* Experience managing data migrations from legacy CRMs (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) or custom databases.
* Basic understanding of front-end frameworks (Vue.js, React) to oversee modern client-portal interfaces.
* Knowledge of UX/UI best practices for client dashboards and responsive design.
* PMP, PRINCE2, or Scrum Master certification.
What We Offer
* Competitive Daily Rate: Market-leading compensation, adjusted for your experience and specialist skill set.
* On Site Work: Primarily on-site in London City.
* Collaborative Environment: Work directly with senior leadership and cross-functional teams in a dynamic, growth-oriented company.
* Opportunity to Shape the Product: You will own the roadmap and have direct influence over platform features that impact every customer interaction.
* Contract Length & Extension Potential: Initial 3-month contract with strong possibility of extension or conversion based on performance.
Note: Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK. Local (London-based) candidates preferred, as regular on-site presence will be required for stakeholder workshops, sprint reviews, and launch events.